Russian Foreign Ministry on Syria, White Helmets, Lebanon and Venezuela

by Stephen Lendman (stephenlendman.org - Home - Stephen Lendman)

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova (MZ below) explained that a "Constitutional Committee was launched in Geneva on October 30…with support from the Astana format."

The 150-member body has equal representation of pro-government and opposition figures, 45 of the body's members in groups of 15 charged with preparing constitutional initiatives.

The larger body is responsible for adopting what's agreed on, aiming to complete things in six months, though no deadline was imposed.

Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem earlier said "(e)ach step must be prudent and informed since the constitution is an essential step in the determination of Syria's future."

No preconditions are imposed on the process — other than Syrians alone must be involved, no foreign powers, Muallem stressing:

"The whole process should be owned and led by Syrians themselves, who have the exclusive right of determining their country's future without any foreign intervention or interference."

The end-game goal is restoring peace and stability to war-torn Syria. The key problem is whatever is agreed on can be overridden by endless US aggression. Near-term conflict resolution remains unattainable because US dark forces reject it.

MZ said "the most complicated developments are on the territories outside Syrian government control on the eastern bank of the Euphrates, in the Idlib de-escalation zone, and in the US-occupied area around Al Tanf."

Illegal US and Turkish aggression and occupation are major obstacles as long as they continue.

MZ: The "Americans are smuggling oil from Syria valued at over $30 million a month, and are set to stay there for the foreseeable future."

Jihadists "in the Idlib de-escalation zone continue shelling government troops" with heavy weapons supplied by the US and its imperial allies. 

"In October, there were around 600 such attacks. The region has long become a hotbed of international terrorism" supported by the US, NATO, Turkey, Israel, the Saudis, and their rogue allies.

"We consider the restoration of social infrastructure to be a priority which has special significance in the context of maintaining the process of a voluntary, safe and dignified return of the Syrians to their permanent places of residence." 

"Over 450,000 refugees and over 1.3 million internally displaced persons have already returned to their places of residence since July 2018."

MZ slammed US support for the White Helmets terrorist group, masquerading as civil defense workers, operating exclusively in jihadist held parts of Syria in cahoots with their atrocities.

MZ: "Russia has on many occasions presented evidence not only through bilateral channels, but also publicly, of the stable ties between the White Helmets and terrorist groups, as well as crimes committed by these pseudo-humanitarian workers and their participation in staged chemical attacks." 

"This information has been confirmed by investigations conducted by Russian and foreign independent experts of good standing. Foreign experts and journalists were the first to note the White Helmets' criminal activities."

Their elements are concentrated in terrorist-infested Idlib province. They're currently planning another CW false flag to be wrongfully blamed on Damascus.

MZ addressed ongoing protests in Lebanon since mid-October, hundreds of thousands of Lebanese involved in Beirut and elsewhere in the country.

Workers, students and others involved reject economic reforms proposed that are too meager to matter. They demand independent technocrats replacing corrupt officials, no simple task assembling them.

Around a fourth of Lebanon's six million people are involved in anti-government protests. MZ said "(w)e are following the internal political developments in friendly Lebanon closely," adding:

Protests abated somewhat after President Michel Aoun accepted Prime Minister Saed Hariri's resignation on Thursday.

He and his ministers remain in office as acting officials until new ones are announced, a process likely to take months.

MZ called what's going on "a domestic affair of Lebanon and its people," adding: "(W)e think it is extremely important for all external forces to respect the sovereignty and independence of Lebanon, which rules out any interference in the affairs of that Middle East country."

Note: The Trump regime froze $105 million in military aid, earmarked for the Lebanese army, urged by the Pentagon to increase separation in its ranks from Hezbollah's military wing — established for self-defense against feared US and/or Israeli aggression.

Commenting on Trump regime anti-Venezuela economic terrorism, MZ said conditions in the country remain "uneasy."

Trump hardliners are hellbent to replace its social democracy with pro-Western puppet rule. They reject diplomatic efforts to resolve things.

MZ: "(N)egative outside pressure and threats of scenarios based on force have not abated. Apparently, normalization in Venezuela does not fit into the plans of Washington, the main actor in this area." 

"As before, the White House continues to behave under the divide-and-rule principle" in pursuit of its imperial agenda.

Pompeo falsely claimed Venezuelans are forced to choose between food and freedom. He lied claiming President Maduro is using food as a political weapon.

Since Trump took office, US economic terrorism stole over $30 billion from Venezuela, notably by asset theft, blocking its oil sales, and other imperial toughness.

MZ: The Venezuelan people "have not forgotten on whose instructions (the national wealth was) expropriated. (Maduro's) government could have spent the money on social needs – medicines and food. Instead, these confiscated funds are used in corruption schemes by shady opposition dealers."

At the same time, the Trump regime "threatens Russian and European companies with secondary sanctions for cooperation with Venezuela's state-run oil company PDVSA."

Russia's "demand (for the US to) adhere to the standards and principles of international law" falls in deaf ears in Washington.

It's a waste of time and effort, trying to reason with hegemon USA hellbent for global dominance, wanting regime change in all nations it doesn't control — Russia, China and Iran most of all.

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